GASTONIA, N. C., JANUARY 11, 1912
One Dollar a Year
Report of State President, H. Q. Alexander
f
The North Carolina Farmers’ Union,
Convention Asseifibled, Wilson, N. C.
Brethren : Another year is added to the
^^nturies of the past and charged to the debit
of our lives. Behind us is the cemetery
unrealized expectations, disappointed hopes
^ud thwarted ambitions. Before us a new day
JQ 1 ,
breaking. It is fraught with the light of
P^'omise and the hope of better things.
old year has been filled with joys and
furrows; successes and failures; prosperity
^ud adversity; life and death. To some the
P^diway of life has been strewn with flowers;
others with thorns. To us all has come
^^uable lessons in experience, if we try to
Profit thereby.
Let
Of
us now have a day of reckoning, a day
^^^uiination, and let it be, first, introspec-
• Another year of our lives is taken from
future, and added to the past. How have
used it? Are we better men today than
ed ^ broader mind-
^^rger hearted, more unselfish? Are we
op‘ ^ ^^^^°uable in the expression of our own
ions and more considerate of the views
^ fhose who differ from us? Are we better
^ "^ands, better fathers, better sons, better
i^hbors, more useful citizens?
continue the examination in another
of thought. Are we better farmers in
^v^rv
^§0? term than we were a year
Uior intelligent, more , progressive,
^ successful ? Are we better business men,
^1* and more careful? Have you adopted,
Uoin^^ ^i^u trying to adopt scientific and eco-
qi; uietliods of production, marketing and
^I'ibution ?
turn another page and proceed. Are
y^a ^ Union men today than we were a
Src Have we truly lived up to the
joi obligation which we assumed when we
Iq^^I ^be Farmers’ Union? Have we been
. fo our brother members, faithful to our
’Rto ^ active in efforts to put them
tho ice ? Let these things hold your
while we look about us to see what
bfav
established any new co-operative
^b^Sc loyal in our support of
^Leady in existence? Have we in every
way possible used our talents, means and in
fluence for the upbuilding of the organization
that we represent heretoday ? Have our actions
at all times been consistent with our profes
sion? Have we been endued with the true‘spirit
of Justice, Equity and the Golden Rule? We
are members of an Educational and Co-opera
tive Union'. Are we actively and heartily in
favor of education and have we so impressed
the community in which we live? Are we co
operative in spirit as well as in deed ? Do you
know that the best co-operator is the man who
is willing to do the other fellow’s way if he
can’t get the other fellow to do his way ? Are
we co-operators with our neighbors in building
up churches, schools, good roads, telephones
and all other movements for the common
good? Or are we so wrapped up in exclusive
selfishness that we feel only a passive or half
hearted interest in'the community life?
Are we united in spirit and in action as well
as in name? Is the word “union” a misnomer
as applied to our Locals? Are we harmoniz-
ers and preace-makers, or do we belong to that
small class (and I thank God that it is a small
class and getting smaller every year) that
glories in strife and contention? Do not un
derstand that I would advocate peace at the
cost of principle; never. But it is often well
to change one’s policy for the sake of peace.
But even here we should “be wise as serpents
and harmless as doves;” or we may be made
to pay too great a price to hire some men to
keep the peace. And yet it takes two to make
a quarrel and if we always manifest the right
spirit ourselves the other fellow can harm no
body but himself. “In essentials, unity in non
essentials, liberality; in all things, charity.”
Brethren, this self examination will be well
worth the time given to it, if we have gone
through it with an earnest, sincere desire to
profit thereby.
If you will now take your seats in the jury
box, I will take the witness stand and give a
very brief review of the year’s work, with
some suggestions for your consideration.
To the best of my knowledge and belief, all
of your state officers have done their duty to
the best of their ability. I doubt if any one of
them has come up to the standard that he had
made for himself. Your president certainly
has riot. The more we learn the more we rea
lize there is yet to be learned. The more we
work the greater the demand for workers.
The more we accomplish the brighter grows
the prospects of still greater achievements.
The pure gospel of unionism has been de
clared in “thunder tones” from the mountains
to the sea, from Virginia to South Carolina.
We have “lengthened our cords and strength
ened in the faith and earnest appeals made to
the unconverted. The great importance of the
right kind of education has been duly empha
sized. The principles of co-operation have
been fully explained by all the speakers and
workers; while the success of co-operation has
been demonstrated by a great many union en
terprises. It will eventually enable the people
to govern and divide their earnings instead of
having capital rule industry and absorb all the
profits. The “almighty dollar” is the thing
that appeals most forcibly to the average man;
therefore men must be made to realize that co
operation will pay. The State Union has
spared no efforts to educate the membership
I will not enter into a detailed report of the
different departments of the State Union but
will refer you to the full and satisfactory re
ports made by the other officers. Since the
last annual Convention we have .secured the
enactment by the legislature, of the County
Farm Life School Bill. We believe that this
law will be put into operation by the counties
as soon as the people understand its provisions
and realize what great benefits will follow the
establishment of these schools.
The Torrens Land Title bill failed to become
a law. We know of no just and sufficient rea
son for its defeat. Its application was optional
with the real estate owner. It could not pos
sibly injure any class except the lawyers in the
matter of title fees, and as the people have per
mitted the lawyers to control their lawmaking
bodies, that probably accounts for the failure
of this bill to pass.
As was reported at the summer convention
in July, a business charter was granted the
State Union by the last legislature. This
charter was not acted upon by the July con
vention but carried over for consideration at
this meeting. It will be duly considered, if it
(Continued on page 5)